Image via Complex Original
Few figures in sports are as polarizing as Ricky Williams. Sure he won a Heisman and rushed for over 10,000 yards as a pro but what everyone remembers Ricky for is his quirky off the field personality. He's one of the greatest stoner athletes of all time, he had No Limit broker his rookie deal, and did a little cross-dressing in his day. Regardless of whether or not you think he's crazy, he's always danced to his own tune and it's been fun to watch. So, on his 35th birthday, check out Ricky Wiliams' 10 Craziest Moments.
10. Breaks the All-Time NCAA Rushing Record
Year: 1998
Back in college when Ricky was tearing it up for the Texas Longhorns, he broke the NCAA career rushing record in style. He was 11 yards shy of Tony Dorsett's record of 6,082 when he ran for a 60-yard touchdown against Texas A&M on Thanksgiving. #servingem
9. ESPN Cover with Mike Ditka
Year: 1999
Yeah, many athletes have done the whole cross-dressing bit but how many have appeared on the cover of a national magazine in drag? In 1999 after Mike Ditka and the Saints traded the house to draft Ricky, ESPN The Magazine shot this memorable wedding cover of the rookie and his coach. This marriage between the eccentric running back and menacing coach last just one season as Ditka was fired after the '99 season.
8. Dr. Ricky?
Year: 2004
After his first retirement, Ricky dipped into a couple different spiritual fields including studying the Indian holistic medicine system, Ayurveda. We're all for alternative forms of medicine but having a 230-pound former running back who's baked 24/7 practice on us? Not so much.
7. 60 Minutes Interview
Year: 2005
Ricky thought he'd finally give the world some sort of an explanation for his behaviors and retirement, so he did an interesting 60 minutes interview. In it he breaks down why he retired, how he got into Ayurveda, and why he's really not crazy. Lets just say two out of three ain't bad.
6. Run Ricky Run
Year: 2010
This doc was one of the best in ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Williams went through a spectacular transformation and you actually got into the aloof player's head during his 2004 hiatus from the NFL. His love of the ganja and "don't give a fuck" attitude shined right through. By the end of the doc you didn't know if he was crazy or smarter than us all.
5. 2006 Season Suspension
Year: 2006
After his fourth failed drug test, then commissioner Paul Tagliabue and the NFL suspended Ricky for the entire 2006 season. This was just one of those "c'mon son" moments because he already got suspended for failing tests but still couldn't put the bud down. *cues the soundtrack*
4. Concussion Comments
Year: 2012
With the death of Junior Seau and reported health problems of other retired players, the effects of concussions have been a major topic in the news recently. When Ricky did an ESPN interview last week, he gave his own unique comments on the subject: "Maybe I'm stupid or whatever," Williams said, "but to me if I got a concussion, if I could see straight and I could carry a football, then I'm not telling anybody." Yeah, maybe you are stupid...or whatever.
3. Tests Positive, Again
Year: 2007
Professional athletes fail drug tests almost regularly, but rarely do you see a player get a season long suspension then continue to smoke. Ricky Williams was that man in 2007 when he failed his fifth test. This easily got him a top five nod on this list.
2. Has No Limit Negotiate His Rookie Contract
Year: 1999
It's one thing for athletes to hang out with rappers, befriend them, even ask them for advice on different things. It's another thing altogether to actually sign to their agency and let them negotiate a horrible rookie contract for you. And by horrible contract we mean a heavily incentive based one where he would be paid a league minimum salary $175,000 in his rookie season that would increase to $400,000 in his seventh season if he failed to reach the goals stated in the contract. Williams did make $11.1 million after signing the deal but failed to reach many of the goals in his first few seasons and later fired No Limit Sports. #notsoboutitboutit
1. First Retirement
Year: 2004
After failing his third drug test for marijuana, which in turn meant it would go public, Ricky decided to retire on August 2, 2004. He was in the prime of his career and was owed $5 million the next season. He'd go on to study Ayurveda and attempt to find himself during his time away from the league but by July of 2005 he was back with the Dolphins. To this day Williams doesn't regret the decision calling it the "most positive thing" he's done. #helluvadrug